The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-02
CONDENSING RAIN.
A Novel Scheme TO Produce a Down
pour and Make the Deserts Blossom.

A Novel Scheme TO Produce a Down
pour and Make the Deserts Blossom.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The remarkable powers and adaptability
of the electric current to the use of society
have been further demonstrated by an in
vention which has at least the charm OF
novelty This is nothing more nor less
than a patent TO open the window of heaven
at the will of man, and Michael Cahill, M
D.. of this city, claims the honor of the in
vention.
The doctor returned to town few DAYS age
from Washington, where he went to secure
patent and bring before the notice of the
government his strange contrivance. He
was seen yesterday afternoon by re-
porter, to whom he briefly explained the
proposal.
Il expect to see the sagebrush deserts of
Nebraska and Nevada under cultivation and
affording pasturage for thousands of cattle
in few years" began the doctor. "Should
the government adopt my patent, by its use
there need not be an acre of waste land on
the whole continent"
by what extraordinary means do you
intend to tap the clouds and interfere
with the laws of naturep queried the re-
porter.
'Simply by condenser or captive bal
loon and an electric cable placed wherever
the rain is required have long believed
that rain could be produced by artificial
means, and have worked at this hobby of
mine for several years-ever since | left
college, in fact. You see, first of all, vapor,
as it ascends receives heat from the solar
rays, which also impels it upward until re-
stricted by the cold. The veSicles or dew
drops being crowded together, become cleo
tritied and float on the air at an altitude of
from 5000 to 5000 feet, and all that is re-
quired then to produce rain is to intercept
these vesicles by artificial means. What l
have invented is a condenser of peculiar
shape and construction, and connected with
the earth by an electric cable. Whenever
the vesicleS come into contact with the con-
denser or current they are broken up and
the water forced to the ground with great
rapidity The rain will be produced by the
same law that causes condensation on a win
dow pane. The surface Of the glass is Gov
cred with microscopic points, and on becom-
ing chilled the layer of air next it falls, al
lowing the vapor to flow on to the points and
thence to the ground"
"You will require a gigantic balloon for
such a purpose" was suggested.
"Oh, no. A condenser of about two hun
bred feet in diameter will bring down some
thing like 25.000,0O0 gallons a day, or as
much as would irrigate almost half of this
State. The volume of water can be devised
or formed into rivers, whichever may be
desired"
"What will be the cost of erecting and fit
ting up one of these condensers9"
"The condenser will be of specially pre-
pared iron, and have received an estimate
from a well-knOwn manufacturer, who
places the cost at 81, 500; another $500 would
easily fit it up.n
What are the opinions of experts on the
matter. doctorp'
"Well. when 1 brought my plan before
them at first they were mostly skeptical, but
have got a great many of them round
since. While IN Washington l submitted
it to the Meteorological Department, where
! am well known, and to the head of the
Geodetic Survey, and both believed it to be
practicable; indeed, the former body sent an
Endorsement to the Secretary Of the In
terror to have its efficacy tested, l expect
it will be some months yet, however, before
they do anything at headquarters" added
the doctor